


Once Upon a Nightmare: Shadows Return

by ATE_LARK



Series: Once Upon a Nightmare [1]
Category: Once Upon a Nightmare
Genre: Angst, Aromantic, Asexual, Bisexual, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Daddy Issues, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Hugs, Issues, Lesbian, Mommy Issues, No Smut, Nonbinary Character, OCs - Freeform, Ok bye, Original Character(s), Original Story - Freeform, Other, Pansexual, Platonic Cuddling, Siblings, They're tired, Torture, Whump, demisexual, dont steal my crap, give my children love, i really can't be any more expilcit dude, lgbtqia, love representation, makes me uncomfy to write, mine, my story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29782440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATE_LARK/pseuds/ATE_LARK
Summary: Just this morning, I had a fight with my mom. A pretty scathing one, if I do say so myself. I thought that was it; that there was nothing else left for me.Who would've thought I would need to save an entire other civilization just a week later?17-year-old Kelsey's life blows; she's a bi teenager in Florida living in a tiny can of a trailer with her... problematic mother. She doesn't think it could get any worse. Until she has to save a planet. But don't worry; with the help of an egotistical-wizard-elf boy, his equally freaky, hippie sister, her confused, water blob of a companion, an over-sized lizard and a tired piece of chocolate with wings, nothing could go wrong.Right?Hop on aboard the Illagury express as we follow Kelsey and her fucked-up friends through the adventure of their lives.*WARNING: This story contains crude language and harsh descriptions. Be prepared to feel depressed and maybe become impossibly attached to these characters*
Relationships: i dont wanna tag those for spoiler purposes:)
Series: Once Upon a Nightmare [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189037





	Once Upon a Nightmare: Shadows Return

**Author's Note:**

> TW: SHOUTING NASTY THINGS, CURSING, SUBTLE MENTION OF ABUSE, BREIF MENTION OF ACHOHOL AND DRUGS, BULLYING, SLUR
> 
> Aside from that, pretty normal chapter

I was first informed that I was trash three days before my twelfth birthday-- approximately one year after my dad lost his job, divorced with my mom and disappeared, three years before my mom crashed the car, started taking pills, and began exclusively wearing the same underwear for God knows how long.

I was reminded of my very low self worth by Sadie Baker, the girl who got their first training bra at nine and thought she was all that because her house had one walk-in closet.

“Kelsey’s a lesbian.” she had said jauntily to the other girls one day as I clung to the inside of the tube slide, minding my business. “It means she likes girls, which is wrong. That’s what my mommy and daddy said.”

And then they proceeded to play ‘Dyke Touch’. Their words not mine.

I had hoped they didn’t believe her, but alas, even my expectations are too high. When my birthday rolled around the corner, not a single soul had shown up, leaving just me and my single mother. We sat for hours at our sad little picnic table, our sad little cake collecting sand, hoping that someone would show up.

After about an hour of waiting in vain, I burst into tears, startling my mother. She pulled me into her lap, enveloping me in her familiar scent. She had petted my hair and asked me what’s wrong.

“Is it wrong to like girls if I’m a girl?” I had asked, snot and tears staining my face.

She thought about it for a moment, rocking me back and forth. Finally she’d said, “Kelsey, it doesn’t matter who you like, as long as you're happy. Whether it be a girl, boy or both!”

I scrunch my nose, still sniffling. “Both? I can like both?”

She nodded and said, “That or someone who isn’t a boy or girl.” Then she squeezed me tight and challenged me to a cake eating contest.

That was a long time ago, banished to the deepest crevice of my brain. Nowadays, Mom can’t be bothered to throw me pity parties, let alone comfort me. She was far too busy in her own little world, slung over the couch like a sack of expired potatoes, empty pill bottles and cigarette cases littering the floor around her feet. She was hardly the same person. Then again, neither am I.

I’m done wasting my time crying over cake, y’know, having my hands full with schoolwork and basically raising myself since grade nine. I’m done crying, period. Nowadays, Mom’s too busy in her own little piece of space to even spare a glance my way. I was on my own, truly this time, and crying wasn’t worth the effort.

Tears or no tears, Sadie Baker still found ways to make my highschool years living hell. From pouring milk on my head to stuffing my locker with moldy gym socks, Sadie made sure I get my daily dose of humiliation. On that fateful day, she and her BFF’s were sticking chewed gum to my locker.

Who even does that? This isn’t some corny Disney Channel movie.

Whatever. 

I had learned from numerous occasions that it’s always best to ignore her and let her do her thing. But Sadie’s a fairly difficult person to ignore. Especially when she decides to dress as close to a Victoria Secrets mannequin as the school dress code allows her. Today is a soft-girl-girly-girl theme, complete with an falsely innocent hairband and pearly bangle.

I keep my eyes trained on the floor, quickening my pace. Before I manage to slip past her and her Barbie dolls, a hand yanks the loop-hole of my ratty backpack, hauling me to the floor. A wave of deja-vu washes over me as Sadie looms above me, her buddies flanking her on either side. My eyes stay on the filthy tiles of the hall, refusing to acknowledge the crowd steadily forming around us.

“What’s up, BUG.” she sneers. I roll my eyes at the nickname but keep my mouth wisely shut. Agitated by my silence, she leans down and taps my head like you would an animal, earning a few chuckles from the audience. “Helooooo~!” she calls, knocking harder. “Anyone home?”

I sigh, gritting my teeth. “What do you want, Sadie.”

She grins, baring her pearly whites like some demented shark. “I’m so glad you asked! A friend of mine told me they saw you flirting with Derek. My Derek.”

I blinked. “What?”

Sadie’s killer smile morphed into a snarl and before I knew it, she was inches from my face. “Listen here, you little puta. You are on thin ice. Like, paper thin, and pissing me off further when you’ve been flirting with my boyfriend doesn’t help you. One. Bit. What’s up with that anyway? I thought you liked girls.”

I kept my expression neutral, trying to sort through this mess I've somehow gotten into. Flirting? With Derek? Sure, he had a nice face but he’s as dumb as a brick. Maybe even dumber. And what’s all this about flirting? The only time I’ve even interacted with him was for bio tutoring.

“Ok, one, I’m bisexual, which means I like both guys, gals, and non-binary pals, and two, why the fuck would I flirt with Derek?” I retorted, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. Sadie had always been ignorant, and it had only gotten worse as we grew up. I blame her parents, honestly. Sure, she often called me out and shouted homphobic slurs at me in the hallway, but part of it had to be her nasty parents.

As if on cue, Sadie’s second in command, Nicoya Andreas, stepped in. “Oh, you should’ve seen her during homeroom, Sadie.”she cackled, lavender bob swishing, “‘Oh, it’s alright, Dere-Bear! Of course I’ll tutor you! She was practically drooling over him.’”  
I allowed the furthest corners of my mouth to tilt downward ever so slightly. Yes, our interaction had gone similarly to this; minus the lovesick expressions and dumb nicknames.

I risked a look at Sadie, not bothering to object this time. They wouldn’t believe me.

She was the epitome of rage and fury. Her green eyes met my gray ones, and before I could process anything, she was gripping my collar, pulling me impossibly close. “Listen, and listen good, Diaz.” she hissed, spittle hitting my cheek. “Derek is mine. Mine. I don’t care about your sexuality. As soon as I graduate outta this shithole, we’re getting married.”

I bit my tongue, staring her dead in the eye. She threw me back down, flipped her platinum blond hair over her shoulder and began to saunter away, her posse and the remainder of the crowd following. I bite down harder to refrain from screeching some very colorful words in her direction, the metallic taste of blood all too familiar. Who did she think she was anyway? Bully someone because they like two genders and she had everything straight and neat in her life? I flipped her the bird, spun on my heel, and walked out the entrance. It's seventh period, no one would miss me.

I let myself in, assuming that my mother would be in her usual place. Surprisingly, she wasn’t. In her place lay her soiled blanket with pill bottles and cigarette cases littering the floor.

“Mom?”

“Shit!” a voice yelped, the sound of drugstore make-up clattering in the tiny trailer sink. A few moments later, she emerged, scrubbed and glammed. Despite my gratitude for the fact that she is indeed vertical again, the length of her skirt made me cringe. It was shorter than anything I owned. It was shorter than anything Sadie owned. Mom has two pieces of scenery; the couch and one of the many clubs Flaminc, Florida has to offer. Clearly, she’s heading for the second one.

“Why’re you home so early?” she demanded, not even bothering to maintain decent eye contact as she bustled throughout the trailer.

I shrugged. “I guess I’m just not in the mood for study hall.”

She scoffed. “C’mon, Kelsey, you’re a terrible liar.” Her bloodshot eyes lit up as she spotted her knockoff purse, pushing past me to get it. Like I was just in the way of something she wants.

“It was Sadie.”

She stopped, inches from our ratty screen door. No matter how many pills she swallowed or how many packs she smoked, Mom will always remember Sadie Baker; the bitch that ruined that faithful birthday party.

“...Sadie.”

“Sadie, yeah. The girl who ruined my twelfth birthday party.”

Mom rolled her eyes. “I know who she is. What did she do this time?”

“Nicoya told her I was trying to steal her boyfriend.” I snorted.

Mom hooted, something I haven’t heard for a while. “Ha! Really? Oh, man. She should know by now that the Diaz’s suck at romance.”

I allowed myself to smile and, for the briefest moment, I saw a glint of the old Mom. My Mom. “Yeah. Except when it comes to abusive and toxic men--”

As soon as I said it, I regretted it. My sarcasm tends to take on a mind of its own. This would be one of those times. “I’m sorry, I--”

Mom’s face hardened, any sign of the glint I saw had vanished, replaced by pain and guilt. Betrayal and anger. I turned away.

“...You think I knew that would happen? That he would do… that?” Her voice trembled as she clutched her purse like a lifeline.

“What? You-You thought that some criminal would change his ways just because some white chick bounded into his life like some God-given angel? You thought he was truly good? That he would change just for you?” I ask harshly, turning to face her.

“I… I divorced him. For you, Kelsey. I did it for you.” she claims desperately, cheap mascara running down her cheeks.

I scoffed, tears of my own threatening to spill. “A fat load of good that does me now.” Mom’s expression flickers between hurt and rage, but I continued anyway. “Even before, you’d known. You had to have. It was your house, your property. And you let him.” the dam had broken, releasing all these pent up emotions in streams down my face. My mother and I never talk about my father for this exact reason. “.. Why?”

She turned away, bowing her head and she desperately scrubbed at her eyes. Opening the door, back facing me, she said, “I loved him.”

And slammed the door shut.

**Author's Note:**

> Just gonna leave this here and see how yall like it :)
> 
> Follow me on Instagram @whoodle_doodles for OUN doodles and stuff


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